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I had an HIV Test at 12 weeks after the risky contact and it was negative. Most websites say that 97 % will have antibodies detected if they were infected, by week 12.

They say, if you want to be sure, have another one done at 24 weeks or 6 months. Let's say it was negative at 12 weeks, in how long would it could change to positive? Would it make any sense to take it at 13 weeks or 14 weeks? I know you would probably say, well, just wait for 24 weeks; but you understand the anxiety this produces, that's why I would like to know after how much time it would make sense to take another one, I mean, the closest number of weeks after week 12 that the result could actually change.

Another question, could you have symptoms and no HIV antibodies detected in the test?

Most websites indicate that almost anybody that is infected, would've tested positive after 12 weeks, with the exception of people for example that have some kind of cancer or organ transplants where the immune system is highly affected, another case they mention is if the HIV dose that was transmitted was too low, in this last case, even if the HIV dose was too low, would it take a normal person more than 12 weeks to develop the antibodies? They said it's not common.

Would having been infected with another STD disease such as Gonorrhea or Chlamydia delay a positive result?

One last question, I read on a website that HIV risk is too low in oral sex, that, the few documented cases there are of people getting infected by oral sex, was due to full ejaculation in the person's mouth, that is semen; but that is almost impossible in oral sex to get infected with HIV just by receving pre-cum, is that true?

In many european countries (like the UK or Switzerland or Germany) they say 12 weeks, in the USA for example they say 13 weeks.

In any event 12 weeks is enough time to produce antibodies and have enough antibodies to show on an elisa test. There have been no confirmed cases of late seroconversion since the year 2k as far as I am aware. And only a handful before that time due to less sensitive assays.

The only time you need to wait longer is if you had PEP or you are on chemo therapy or have had an organtransplant lately or something as dramatic. If you ask if you have a condition that warrants to extend the windowperiod, you probably don´t have it.

On this website, we only go by up-to-date information, unlike many other websites out there.

The window period for a conclusive hiv result is 12-13 weeks and has been for some time now. It beats the hell out of me why any site still mentions the old window period. Not only have tests improved, but our understanding of the seroconversion process has also improved. We now know that the vast majority of people who have actually been infected will seroconvert and test positive by six weeks, with the average time to seroconversion being only 22 days. The official window period is still three months to catch the rare person who takes a little longer than six weeks.

Symptoms or the lack of symptoms means absolutely nothing when it comes to hiv infection and seroconversion. Some people notice nothing, yet test positive, others become so ill they have to be hospitalised. Some people experience ever symptom in the book - but are conclusively hiv negative. When symptoms do happen, they are very non-specific and could indicate many different illnesses. ONLY hiv antibody testing will reliably inform you of your hiv status.

Being infected with another STI will NOT affect hiv seroconversion.

Oral sex is low risk whether pre-cum is present or full ejaculation takes place. The mouth is an extremely inhospitable place for hiv and successful transmission via the mouth is exceedingly rare. However, pre-cum is still infectious - something to keep in mind if anal or vaginal intercourse is on the menu.

Please read through the Welcome Thread and follow the links for further information.

You need to be using condoms for anal or vaginal intercourse, every time, no exceptions until such time as you are in a securely monogamous relationship where you have both tested for ALL STIs together. To agree to have unprotected intercourse is to consent to the possibility of being infected with a sexually transmitted infection.

Have a look through the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can use condoms with confidence.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

I read somewhere "HIV antibody tests from as soon as about 3 weeks from infection until not later than 3 months", what does that mean? Does that mean someone could be positive in the first 3 months; but if tested after that the test wouldn't be able to detect antibodies anymore?

Lymph Nodes, I know there are some under the armpits, right around the upper neck and in the groin area, which of these are the most commonly swollen for HIV. I started having some kind of light pain mostly in the area above the penis, kind of going to my testicles and by touching my groin area, I can feel what I think must be the lymph nodes; but I can just feel on the right side and I think it's maybe like 2 of them. I can feel them, I don't know if they are in fact swollen or not. I had an infection that seemed like gonorrhea or chlamydia, even though I tested twice for that and both times it was not detected, last week they gave me medication against tricomones; but I kind of feel I still have something, like if I always leak a little urine, you know, like drops, so I'm thinking that could be why those two lymph nodes swollened, well if in fact they are swollen.

Let's just say about my sexual encounter a couple of months ago, it was unprotected anal penetration and it didn't last too long, I'm thinking not more than 30 seconds; because I remember I didn't even cum, which takes me to another question, I read somewhere that HIV is not easily transmitted, in this case they were talking from women to men, is it easier to be transmitted from man to man? In this case I was the top, which I have read is a lower risk.

The other question is, I read somewhere that someone said, 7 seconds of unprotected sex is not something to write home about, does that mean you need to have a certain amount of time of sex to actually get infected?

The last sexual contact I'm worried about happened 6 weeks before I took my last test, which was negative, worried because there was anal penetration, even though this time I did have a condom on, I don't think it broke and it didn't slip; but being as obsessive as I am and having those 2 lymph nodes swollen, as I said, if in fact they are, it's driving me crazy, even though I have read in several places that the vast majority that have been infected would have detectable antibodies by week 6.

Don't want to take all your time, if you could answer my questions, I would appreciate it so much.

Once a person is hiv positive, they will continue to test positive. There have been rare exceptions, but these were people who had been positive for years and were dying from an opportunistic infection. This does NOT apply to you or anyone else who visits this forum.

Lymph node. Keep your hands off them. Only a doctor can tell you if they are swollen - and touching them all the time will MAKE them swell. HANDS OFF YOUR NODES!

Symptoms or the lack of symptoms - including lymph nodes - means nothing when it comes to hiv infection.

At this point, it doesn't really matter if you were top, if it lasted ten seconds or ten hours, you have tested negative over that incident.

The risk associated with anal intercourse is a bit lower if you are the top, but do NOT continue to take this chance. Just because you got away with it that time doesn't mean you will next time. Use condoms. Having unprotected intercourse is a risk no matter how long it lasts. STOP playing roulette with your life!

You do not need to worry at all about the anal incident where you wore a condom. Condoms have been proven to be very effective when it comes to hiv transmission prevention. Check out the condom and lube links in my signature line so you can be sure you are using them properly. A properly used condom rarely breaks. And by the way, when a condom breaks, it is very obvious. You'll know when it happens.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

"Many people, especially in the gay community, turn to oral sex as a safer alternative in the age of AIDS. And with HIV rates rising, people need to remember that oral sex is safer sex. It's a reasonable alternative."

I had some kind of infection late in June and it all seemed to be either Gonorrhea or Chlamydia, basically because the discharge, not tons of it; but discharge. The test cameback negative. They gave me some medication that one day that I took the test and the following week I still had a little bit. The doctor said it was fine, that it must've been some kind of infection that I developed myself. For about 2, 3 weeks it basically went away even though I felt like I was always leaking a little urine after going to the bathroom.

About 2 weeks ago I noticed that I had discharge again, I never saw it coming out of my penis anymore, only when urinating, I went back to the doctor and they inserted again a swab in my urethra, sent it to the lab, and result was negative again for Gonorrhea or Chlamydia. They gave me medication during 3 days for Tricomones.

This week I feel some kind of pressure around my penis, testicles, even though I don't think my lymph nodes are swollen, I don't even know how they feel when they are swollen anyway and just like Ann mentioned, keep your hands off them, you'll make them swollen if you keep pressing them, I don't know if there's some pressure in that area or it's just my anxiety about this HIV obsession that is causing me to feel things all over my body.

Just now I realized that I had again discharge when urinating.

Does anyone know if any other STD other than Gonorrhea or Chlamydia produces discharge? I'm just scared now that I've been looking for Gonorrhea or Chlamydia or Tricomones and it's none of them and whatever I have still there and it's getting worse, since I first noticed this back at the end of June.

Maybe epididymitis which is easily treatable. It can be caused by chlamitia or ghonorea but it can also be caused by a UTI or Ecoli (non STD). Either way, it's very important that you see a doctor ASAP, not so much for HIV but more because untreated it can cause men to be steril. Good Luck

1. I went for an HIV Test while I was taking Sulfameth/Trimethoprim 800 for a Prostate infection. Would that affect the HIV Test results? i.e. getting a Negative result when it was actually positive or viceversa?

2. My HIV Test has a Note that says "A NON-REACTIVE RESULT INDICATES THAT HIV1 (HTLV-III) ANTIBODIES HAVE NOT BEEN FOUND IN THIS PATIENT SPECIMEN. A NON-REACTIVE RESULT, HOWEVER, DOES NOT PRECLUDE PREVIOUS EXPOSURE OR INFECTION WITH HIV1.

What do they mean by HIV1 (HTLV-III)?Is this a reliable HIV Test or should I be asking for something more specific?

This test was basically after almost 18 weeks of my initial risky contact and almost 12 weeks from my last sexual contact.

3. If in the case someone got infected with HIV and another STD, e.g. Herpes or Chlamydia, having been infected with a second STD, would that delay the HIV antibodies been detected by the HIV Test or the seroconversion process?

I just had an HIV Test. It was Non-Reactive. This was after 13 weeks or more than all incidents except from the last one that it was 8 weeks 5 days before this test. This last incident was oral sex performed by another man on me.

My Test says HIV1 and I have seen a lot of people mentioning HIV2.

Even thought the last incident was oral sex performed on me and shouldn't be extremely risky, I'm obviously very nervous but I wanted to confirm that the Tests that I have been taking are reliable or should I be asking for an HIV2?

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Thanks for your answers, they have really made me feel better. I’d like to ask two questions.

During my sex encounters, reason why I have been testing for HIV, apparently I got infected with Herpes and Chlamydia, even though Chlamydia/Gonorrhea were never really detected. Let’s just say for the purpose of my questions that I did get infected with Herpes and Chlamydia during those encounters.

As I mentioned in my previous note, all these sex encounters happened between 13 and 20 weeks before my HIV Test and it was NON REACTIVE. The only encounter outside that period of time was 8 weeks 5 days before the test; but wasn’t too risky since it was oral sex performed on me.

QUESTIONS :

1. In the case that I had been infected with Herpes and Chlamydia during that period, should I still feel confident about my HIV Test Result or could having been infected with Herpes and Chlamydia be affecting the Test Result or could it impact someone taking longer to develop HIV Antibodies? 2. People have told me that I should test for HIV2 even though most places don’t really offer the HIV2 Test, and I have read that is really rare here in the US. Do any of you know if it’s that rare that I shouldn’t worry about?

I would really appreciate your answers. I’m aware a lot of people write out of anxiety and I understand it, I just want to confirm these two questions.

You don't have to worry about test if you have Herpes and Chlamydia during that period. Infected with either or both would not affect the antibody production. A test at 12 weeks will catch HIV2. You don't need a special test and to have been infected in the US with HIV2, would be extremely rare. You didn't have a risk to begin with and testing was unnecessary.

I have a quick question, please don’t think I want to waste your time, I just don’t know and I want to hear from people that do.

You guys mentioned that if someone is on PEP Treatment, that could make a person’s body to take more than 12 weeks to develop HIV antibodies.

Back in August I was given Sulfameth/Trimethoprim 800 because apparently my prostate was a little swollen from some kind of infection, I took that during 30 days, twice daily. When I finished that, I was given Doxycycline 100mg because I was having some kind of discharge when urinating, not every day, it was like once a week maybe. I took the Doxycycline for 30 days, twice daily.

QUESTIONS :

1. These 2 medications, would they be considered PEP Treatment? I wouldn’t think so; but I don’t know.2. Taking these medications, which are basically Penicilin I believe, would they make a person’s body to delay creating HIV antibodies if the body was infected?3. Would a person take more than 12 weeks to develop HIV antibodies if taking this medication?

The truth is, when I started taking the first medication in August, 8 to 15 weeks had already gone by from all incidents with the exception of the last one, only 4 weeks had gone by from the last incident, even though it was oral sex performed by a man on me.

My last test was done for HIV1 & HIV2, they did the ELISA and the WESTERN BLOT and everything was NON REACTIVE/NEGATIVE.All my incidents were between 17 and 24 weeks before this test excluding the last incident which was 13 weeks before the test; this last incident was really just oral sex a man performed on me.

I know I shouldn’t worry anymore; however now and then my lymph nodes hurt a little bit, well, I’m guessing they’re my lymph nodes and I have some kind of “acne” on my face that seems like Dermatitis Seborrheic; that doesn’t seem to go away, even though I just started treating it about 3 weeks ago and I read somewhere that Dermatitis Seborrheic is developed by about 85 % infected with HIV and if treated and not cured, it almost always means the person is infected with HIV.

Just like Ann said, symptoms or no symptoms, means nothing when it comes to HIV, I want to feel confident of my test results and basically there’s been already enough time between the incidents and the tests; but then taking that medication made me wonder if they could make a person’s body take longer to develop HIV antibodies, I hope not.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Please don’t think I want to waste your time, I’m just extremely nervous.

I started having some kind of discharge back in June 16, at first they thought it was either Chlamydia or Gonorrhea, apparently it wasn’t, they thought it was probably Tricomones and I was given medication for three days. That discharge comes and goes, sometimes it goes away for more than two weeks. I went back to the doctor and he says it’s basically some kind of Non-gonnococcal Urethritis.

Back in August 4th, I tested positive for Herpes Type II and on September 4th, I tested positive for Herpes Type I as well.

As you guys confirmed, having been infected with these STD’s wouldn’t stop the body from developing HIV antibodies if it had been infected with HIV, it wouldn’t take the body more than 12 weeks to develop HIV antibodies.

I had my last test taken two weeks ago, it was Non Reactive.

All my incidents were between 20 and 27 weeks before this test excluding the last incident which was 16 weeks before the test; this last incident was really just oral sex a man performed on me.

The one incident I was really worried about happened 27 weeks before that test, all other incidents were really either oral sex and 1 anilingus encounter.

My lymph nodes have been hurting, not in extreme pain; but hurting and about 4 days before my last test I woke up around 1:20 A.M. and realized that my shirt was a little sweaty even though I wasn’t really sweating, I mean, my face or body weren’t wet, that same day at 10:00 P.M. for about 15 minutes I felt like having “heat waves” inside my body. This past Thursday around 6:00 P.M. I didn’t feel sick or anything; but my hands were extremely hot, even though by the time I got home I took my temperature and apparently didn’t have any fever.

These pain in my lymph nodes and these incidents of having some kind of fever have worried me a lot.

Do you see anything here that I should worry about particularly regarding HIV? I would imagine that my immune system is OK, I don’t think it would be damaged because I have Herpes and an NGU. I wouldn’t think a body wouldn’t identify the HIV Virus because of having those two other infections.

Do you think that the Urethritis, Herpes could be causing the Lymph Nodes hurting a little and because of that having had those days some “fever” or “hot flashes”? I’ve been under tons of stress, I’m an obsessive compulsive person and I have just developed tons of stress.

Any sort of infection in the body can cause lymph glands to swell. That's what they're there for. However, constantly touching them to see if they're swollen can actually irritate them, make them swollen and KEEP them swollen - so keep your hands off them.

NOTHING you report will cause delayed seroconversion. In fact, if anything, the presence of other infections can sometimes cause false POSITIVE results, but not false negatives or delayed seroconversion. None of the drugs you report taking will delay seroconversion either.

You are hiv negative and conclusively so. If you cannot accept your negative status, please consider getting yourself some counseling to help you understand what's behind that - and get some help with your OCD along the way.

"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts